Scroll Speed

[Hobbes]

Hi, I notice that the map scrolling improves once I have been scrolling around for a minute or so - it then loads the bitmaps into memory I think?

Is it not possible to add an option to allow the program to load these bitmaps into memory before the game starts to save me having to scroll around before
I start playing?

I don't have a great system so the game scrolling is still fairly jerky. I just tried a defrag and the 1.03 patch has helped a lot. I may have to get a new PC soon or I may try and increase the memory from 510 RAM if it may make a difference?

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System Information
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Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
System Model: Dimension 2350
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.50GHz
Memory: 510MB RAM
Page File: 221MB used, 1023MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

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Display Devices
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Card name: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce FX 5200
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (72Hz)

[Pocus]

To load some of the textures are game initialization time, be sure to have checked Texture Init and Allow High Mem, in the System tab of the Options window.

I will see to add another variation of the Texture init option where ALL the bitmaps are loaded at once, but your 512 Mb of RAM wont be sufficient I think: the map is huge and hand-drawn, so each region is a particular bitmap, not a monochromatic area like most other regions-based games.

[Hobbes]

OK thanks. I think I might buy a bit more memory in that case.
Chris

[Hobbes]

I just added 512mb (for only £35) and the game now runs very smoothly - along with many other games, wish I had done this a year ago!

Cheers, Chris

[Pocus]

yes, XP is using quite a bit by itself, so add the memory usage of the data, and top that with the memory needed to manipulate the map... frankly PC should not be sold with less than 1 Go now, with the O/S that Bill is selling (and the applications we are running on it!)